Gas-regulator



l. S. CONANT.

Gas Regukator.

Patented Dec; 9, 1851.

UNITED STATES PATENT ()FFICE.

J. S. CONANT, OF LOVELL, MASStCIlUSlGTTS,

GAS-REGULATOR.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 8,578, dated December 9, 1851.

To a]; whom it may 0011mm Be it known that I, Jo'rrnnr S. CoNAN'r, of Lowell, in the county of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and Improved Gas-Regulator; and 1 do hereby declare that the following is a full and exact description thereof, reference be ing had to the accompanying drawings, making a part of this specification, Figure 1 being a top view; Fig. 2, a side elevation:

Fig. 3, a vertical section in the line {0-00 of Fig. 1, and Fig. 4 a top view of the apparatus with some of the parts removed.

Similar letters indicate like parts in all the figures.

The nature of my invention consists in interposing between the gas pipe from the gas works, and the main gas pipe in a dwelling, or other building where gas is consumed a small gasometer combined with a regulating valve in such a manner that the pressure of the gas in the pipe within the said dwelling or other building can be adjusted to any degree of pressure, and will remain at precisely the same amount of pressure whether a large or a small number of burners be supplied by the said pipe.

A, is the body or outer casing of my gas regulator, which is located in the house, or establishment where the gas is to be consumed.

O, is the gas pipe from the gas-works, the end of which communicates with, and is secured to the bottom of A.

F, is an annular "alve seat screwed into the mouth of the pipe 0.

f, f, are arms rising from F, and supporting the tube 6, which serves to guide and support the rod 0, of the valve (Z, which regulates the flow of the gas into the chamber under the gasometer P; and which rod (0) is also connected to and serves to guide the movements of the gasometer--as shown in Fig. 3. The rod 0, has a thimble Z, on its upper end resting upon a shoulder of the same, which thimble has a broad flange radiating from its upper extremity which bears against the under side of the top of: the gasometer. The rod 0, passes through the center of the gasomcter, and is secured thereto by means of the washer m, and the nut n. A partition I rises from the bottom of the outer casing A, which forms the sides of the gas chamber under the gasomcter; the sides of the gasometer descend into the annular space 2, between the partition 7, and

the sides of the cuter casing A. A compartment 3 is ac iarated from the space under the gasometer by the partition Z), which rises to the same height as the partition 9. The compartment 2 has free communication with the annular space 2.

P, the gas pipe which leads from the gas chamber under the gasometer B, thrtmghcut the building. for the supply of the burners. Some fluid substance is kept in the annular space and in the compartment y, in sutticient quantity to rise nearly to the top of the partitions b and for the purpcse of preventing the escape of the gas from the chamber under the gasometer into the space above the same. In case the fluid within the annular space .2, and the compartment 3 should happen to get too low, the valve (Z, prevented from opening by the following arrangement: viz LA thimblc g, is passed on to the tube c, and held in the proper position by the set screw a, Fig. 4: a curved and angular lever 72, 2', is connected by a tulcrun'i pin with an ear projecting from the side of the said thimble g, the curved portion 7', of the said lever, passes over the partition 7), and its extremity is connected to the float within the compartment y; the portion 71, of the said lever (i, 72,) rises from its fulcrum pin and its extremity nearly touches the sides of the thimble Z, which is placed upon the top of the rod c, when there is a supply of fluid in the compartment 3 and when there is a deficiency of fluid in the said compartment, the float y, will be lowered and thereby bring the point of the lever 27, under the lower end of the thimble Z, which will securely close the valve (Z, and prevent the flow of gas into the gasometer.

A supply of fluid within the apparatus, may be insured by placing a vessel R, above the casing A, and connecting it with the fluid comparti'nent 2, within the same, by means of a siphon. as represented in Fig. 8: to wit; :1?, is an ottset on the side of the casing A, connecting with the fluid compartments within the same; the tube .9, descending from the vessel R, passes loosely into the said oflset at, 2, is a small pipe descending from the bottom of the vessel R, in the tube 8. 7., is an aperture from the pipe 8, into the top of the vessel ll; u, is a notch in the inner side of the bottom of the tube a, on a level with the required l'ieight of the fluid in the annular space 2, within the apparatus.

'hen the fluid descends so low as to open the notch 11, to the air in the space between the pipe 8, and the offset 00, the air will enter the same, and pass up the pipe 8, and through the aperture 0}, to the top of the chamber R. and thereby cause the fluid therein to descend in the pipe t, into the offset a', and thence into the annular space 2, and the compartment 3 within the apparatus.

The rod 0, which serves to guide and govern the movements of the gasometer and to connect the same with the valve (l, mayif preferred-ha"e suitable guides placed above the gasometer.

The gasometer B, should be of such a size as to allow a pressure of about half a pound to the square inch to be exerted upon the gas beneath it; as I find that gas will burn more economically when acted upon by about this amount of pressure than any other. hen but one burner is supplied by the pipe P, leading from the gas regulator, the valve (Z, will only open a suflicient amount to furnish the gasometer with the quantity of gas consumed; and when a num ber of burners are supplied, the opening between the valve and its seat will be increased in exact proportion to the increased quantity of gas consumed; so that the amount of pressure of the gas at the burners when my improved gas regulator is employed, will be identically the same, whether a large or a small number of burners be supplied by the pipe P, leading therefrom.

It has been ascertained by practical eX- periment, that a saving of over twenty five per cent is produced by regulating the flow of gas to the burners by the use of my improved gas regulator. Instead of allowing the sides of the gasometer to descendinto some fluid substance, for the purpose of making the chamber within it perfectly tight, the sides of the gasometer may be connected with the bottom of the inclosing casing A, by some flexible material.

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

The closing of the valve (Z, when the fluid becomes too low in the gas regulator for safety, by the movement of the float j, and the lever z, 71, and their action upon the thimble Z, on the valve rod 0, substantially as herein set forth.

The above specification of my improved gas regulator, signed and witnessed this fourth day of March 1851.

JOTHAM S. CONANT.

lVitnesses \VALTER KIDDER, WILLIAM lVoon. 

